Roller crimping assembly



J1me 1964 J. R. COVEY 3,138,056

ROLLER CRIMPING ASSEMBLY Filed March 23, 1962 [77 vendor-.- r/O/W? A C 01 39,

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United States Patent "ice 3,138,056 ROLLER CRIMPIN G ASSEMBLY John R. Covey, Independence, Mo, assignor to Remington Arms Company, Inc., Bridgeport, Comm, :1 corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 181,993 3 Claims. (Cl. 86-3) This invention relates to an apparatus for crimping a cylindrical element in an outer casing. More specifically, the invention relates to an assembly adapted to crimp a projectile in a cartridge case whereby a continuously rotating outer body member, having a cam surface at its lower end, frictionally engages and forces inwardly a plurality of planetary crimp rollers which are movably mounted on an inner member which in turn slides relative to the outer body member.

The invention is particularly adapted to crimp large sizes of ammunition where the crimping is secured by forming a circumferential groove on the periphery of the cartridge case, the inner convex surface of the groove interacting with a similarly positioned groove in the periphery of the projectile. The present invention is designed to provide a smooth, accurate, and continuous crimp wherein the crimp rollers rotate continuously as they make the crimp groove in the cartridge case.

Although the present invention is disclosed as a crimping assembly to crimp ammunition, it should be appreciated that it can be used in other environments or circumstances where a similar type of crimp is required.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel crimping assembly adapted to produce an even, continuous, peripheral crimp in the wall of a casing.

It is another object of this invention to provide sliding cam means to frictionally engage planetary crimp rollers to impart rotary movement thereto and to force the rollers into crimping position.

It is another object of this invention to provide easily adjustable means to vary the position of the crimp on the casing and also to vary the depth of the crimp groove.

It is another object of this invention to provide a crimping assembly having a projectile support means which will not damage the tip of the projectile.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, claims and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows the completed cartridge in the roller crimping assembly. The roller is shown on the righthand cross-section view in the position which would occur at the completion of the crimping cycle.

FIGURE 2 shows a view through line 2-2 shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows the invention incorporated into an ammunition crimping assembly. Secured to a rotating spindle such as a drill press is a shank 1 of an outer body 2 which thus rotates continuously. The body consists of an upper portion 3 and a cam ring 4. The cam ring is of greater diameter than the upper portion and is adjustably mounted on the lower end of the upper portion by thread means 5 for a purpose to be explained below. Lock ring 6 locks the cam ring in the desired position on the upper portion 3. A cam insert 7, of wear-resistant material, such as sintered tungsten carbide, has a tapered surface 7a and is positioned to form the lower inside surface of the cam ring.

A roller holder 8' is slidably and rotatably positioned with the body 2. Spherical balls 9 are positioned between the lower end face 10 of upper body portion 3 and a transversely extending flange 11 on the lower end of roller holder 8 to provide a positive stop for limiting inward axial movement of the roller holder and to prevent exces- 3,138,956 Patented June 23., 1964 sive wear on the faces between the body and the roller holder.

A plurality of radial slots or recesses 12 are provided in the lower end of the flange 11 of roller holder 8. Positioned within these recesses are axially extending roller pins 13 of a lesser diameter than the width of the recesses in order to permit a limited amount of sliding movement therein. Mounted on the lower end of the roller pins by either a slide or press fit are planetary crimp rollers 14. A roller retainer 15 is secured with screws to roller holder 8. Ample clearance is provided between. the roller holder and the roller retainer to allow free radial movement of the crimp rollers in the recesses 12. However, this clearance must be limited to prevent axial mis-location of the crimp rollers. A retaining cap 18 having an inwardly projecting flange 19 is threaded at 33 to the cam ring 4 to retain the tapered insert 7 in the assembly and to limit outward axial movement of the roller holder 8 relative to the body 2. Openings 17 and 20, in the roller retainer 15 and retaining cup 18 respectively, permit insertion of a cartridge assembly 21.

Mounted on the upper portion of the roller holder are spinner means to limit the insertion of the casing and to prevent marring of the end of the projectile. These means include a spinner stop 22 having a concavity 23 in the lower face in which the end of a projectile 21a is inserted and supported. Spinner stop 22 is connected to a stop spindle 24 which is rotatably mounted in roller bearings 25. Bearing retainer 26 retains the roller bearings in the roller holder. Washer 27 and cotter pin 28 secure the bearings to the retainer 26. The bearing retainer 25 is adjustably mounted on the roller holder by means of threads 29 and is locked in position by lock ring 30.

Blast escape holes 31 and 32 are provided in the body and roller holder respectively as a safety feature to prevent disintegration (and resultant shrapnel) of the device in the event of an accidental explosion while crimping explosive projectiles.

Operation In operation, the device is secured by shank 1 to a rotating spindle (not shown) such as a drill press. The assembled cartridge (less crimp) is positioned with the cartridge axis in line with the axis of the device. The rotating spindle or the cartridge assembly is moved axially so that the projectile and case neck enter the hole provided. The projectile contacts the spinner stop 22 and is held central to the axis by the conical section contained in the stop. Additional axial movement of the body 2 and the cartridge assembly relative to one another causes the spinner stop and the roller holder 8, to which it is secured, to move inwardly within the body 2. This causes the tapered surface 7a on the interior of the cam ring 4 to frictionally engage the crimp rollers and provide rotary movement thereto.

The taper on the interior of the cam ring also creates considerable mechanical advantage which forces the crimp rollers into the neck of the case directly over a groove in the projectile body. The resultant crimp secures the projectile to the cartridge case. The procedure is reversed to remove the crimped cartridge.

The force required to produce a satisfactory crimp is relatively small. This force is transmitted through the rotating spindle, crimping assembly body, roller holder, and spinner stop to the projectile. In order to prevent the application of excessive force, which would damage the cartridge, a force limiting device (not shown) must be provided on the machine spindle.

Two adjustable features are mentioned in the description above.

(1) The adjustability feature (threaded means 5) between the cam ring 4 and upper body portion 3 provides a means which raises or lowers the cam ring on the upper body portion and thus varies the depth of the crimp groove.

(2) The adjustability feature (threaded means 29) between the bearing retainer 26 and the roller holder 8 provides a means for adjusting the location of the crimp groove.

Means must be provided to prevent rotation of the cartridge case during the crimping operation, since a moderate amount of torque is applied to the cartridge by the rotating crimp holders. This can be done by hand or if in a production machine, any of several well-known means can be used. For example, collets can be closed on the head of the cartridge case to prevent its rotation.

It is obvious that the invention can be used in environments other than disclosed. While only one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, a unitary body member having an integral cam ring with a tapered inside surface on its lower end can be provided instead of the two-part adjustable assembly disclosed. Moreover, the bearing retainer 26 need not be adjustably mounted on the roller holder. In fact, the spinner stop assembly could be eliminated and various other means providedwhich will limit the insertion of the cartridge assembly in the roller holder.

What is claimed is:

1. A crimping assembly comprising a longitudinally extending rotating body means, an inner member positioned within said body means and supported therein to permit relative rotary and sliding movement between said body means and said inner member, crimp roller means including planetary roller members, each of which is mounted on a longitudinally extending roller pin, recess means in said inner member in which said roller pins are positioned to provide radial movement in a direction transverse of the longitudinal center lines of said roller pins therein and a cover plate mounted on the outer end of said inner member which is longitudinally spaced from said roller members to permit rotary and radial movement of said roller members and to prevent tilting or pivoting of said roller pins in said recesses, openings in the lower ends of said body means and said inner member to permit insertion of a casing and a cylindrical member to be crimped thereto, adjustable means to limit the distance that said casing and cylindrical member can be inserted, cam means on said rotating body means, actuatable upon relative sliding movement of said inner member and said body means, to provide a rotary movement to said roller means and move said rotating roller means transversely and inwardly to effect a'continuous peripheral crimp to said casing and cylindrical member, and separate means being provided to limit relative inward and outward sliding movement of said body means with said inner member, said inward limiting means comprising at least one spherical ball positioned between abutments on said inner member and said body means, and said outward limiting means being releasably connected to said body means.

2. A crimping assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein adjustable means are provided to support said cam means on said body means and to vary the area of contact of said cam means with said roller means and thus vary the extent of the inward radial movement of said planetary roller members, said adjustable means comprising interengaging thread means on said cam means and said body means, and means to lock said cam means in a positive manner on said body means.

3. A crimping assembly comprising a longitudinally extending rotating body means, an inner member positioned within said body means and supported therein to permit relative rotary and sliding movement between said body means and said inner member, crimp roller means including planetary roller members, each of which is mounted on a longitudinally extending roller pin, recess means in said inner member in which said roller pins are positioned to provide radial movement in a direction transverse of the longitudinal center lines of said roller pins therein and a cover plate mounted on the outer end of said inner member which is longitudinally spaced from said roller membrs to permit rotary and radial movement of said roller members and to prevent tilting or pivoting of said roller pins in said recesses, openings in the lower ends of said body means and said inner member to permit insertion of a casing and a cylindrical member to be crimped thereto, adjustable means to limit the distance that said casing and cylindrical member can be inserted, cam means on said rotating body means, actuatable upon relative sliding movement of said inner member and said body means, to provide a rotary movement to said roller means and move said rotating roller means transversely and inwardly to elfect a continuous peripheral crimp to said casing and cylindrical member, said adjustable means to limit the insertion of said casing and cylindrical member comprising a spinner stop, a spindle attached to said spinner, bearing means in which said spinner rotates, bearing retainer means adjustably connected to said inner member, and means positively loci ing said bearing retainer on said inner member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,190,576 Page July 11, 1916 2,319,235 Hothersall May 18, 1943 2,382,401 Dennis Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 596,563 Germany May 5, 1934 597,478 Germany May 25, 1935 59,415 Norway May 30, 1938 

1. A CRIMPING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ROTATING BODY MEANS, AN INNER MEMBER POSITIONED WITHIN SAID BODY MEANS AND SUPPORTED THEREIN TO PERMIT RELATIVE ROTARY AND SLIDING MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID BODY MEANS AND SAID INNER MEMBER, CRIMP ROLLER MEANS INCLUDING PLANETARY ROLLER MEMBERS, EACH OF WHICH IS MOUNTED ON A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ROLLER PIN, RECESS MEANS IN SAID INNER MEMBER IN WHICH SAID ROLLER PINS ARE POSITIONED TO PROVIDE RADIAL MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE OF THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINES OF SAID ROLLER PINS THEREIN AND A COVER PLATE MOUNTED ON THE OUTER END OF SAID INNER MEMBER WHICH IS LONGITUDINALLY SPACED FROM SAID ROLLER MEMBERS TO PERMIT ROTARY AND RADIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ROLLER MEMBERS AND TO PREVENT TILTING OR PIVOTING OF SAID ROLLER PINS IN SAID RECESSES, OPENINGS IN THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID BODY MEANS AND SAID INNER MEMBER TO PERMIT INSERTION OF A CASING AND A CYLINDRICAL MEMBER TO BE CRIMPED THERETO, ADJUSTABLE MEANS TO LIMIT THE DISTANCE THAT SAID CASING AND CYLINDRICAL MEMBER CAN BE INSERTED, CAM MEANS ON SAID ROTATING BODY MEANS, ACTUATABLE UPON RELATIVE SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID INNER MEMBER AND SAID BODY MEANS, TO PROVIDE A ROTARY MOVEMENT TO SAID ROLLER MEANS AND MOVE SAID ROTATING ROLLER MEANS TRANSVERSELY AND INWARDLY TO EFFECT A CONTINUOUS PERIPHERAL CRIMP TO SAID CASING AND CYLINDRICAL MEMBER, AND SEPARATE MEANS BEING PROVIDED TO LIMIT RELATIVE INWARD AND OUTWARD SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID BODY MEANS WITH SAID INNER MEMBER, SAID INWARD LIMITING MEANS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE SPHERICAL BALL POSITIONED BETWEEN ABUTMENTS ON SAID INNER MEMBER AND SAID BODY MEANS, AND SAID OUTWARD LIMITING MEANS BEING RELEASABLY CONNECTED TO SAID BODY MEANS. 